Fence-post driver



W. R. BARKER.

FENCE POST DRIVER.

APPLmATloN FILED Ammo. 1911.

Patented July 15, 1919.

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THE COLUMBIA LANOGRAPH zo., WASHlNGTON, Dnc.

w. R. BARKER. Y FENCE Pos1 omvER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I0. 191?. 1,316,272, l Patented July 15, 1919.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

W. R. BARKEH.

FENCE POST DRIVER. APPLxcATIoN FILED Aus. l0, 1917.

l ,3l 0,272. Patented July 15, 1919.

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Leiders.

g 'MTED STATES ATN wILLIaM it. BARKER, or vAnzAN'r, MISSOURI.

FENCE-POST DRIVER;

andI do hereby declare the following to be alfull, clear, and exact descriptionl of the invention, such aslwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.; p y

j This invention relates to fence post drivers and more particularly to portable fence post drivers and the primary object of the invention is to j provide an improved machine for driving fence po`sts,tliat can bef manually j operated with a minimum amount of exertion. j

Another object of the invention isto provide an improved portable machine for drivingfence posts, in which the mechanism for driving the post can be adjusted at all times so4 asv to' occupy a position in a vertical plane, no matter at what angle the vehicle supporting the mechanism is lying.

A' further object of the invention isV the' provision of 1neans'-for`adjusting the driving mechanism laterally of the vehicleV body soy that if the vehicle is not driven to the correct position over the place where the post is 'desired to be driven in the ground the" driving mechanism can be moved an 'placed over the desired position.

y A"still further object of the invention is the provision of means Vfor holding the post in correct position while the same is being driven into the ground.

A lstill further object of the invention is the provision of a 4ratchet mechanism for raising the Weight, and means for releasing the ratchetmechaiiism when the weight has reached a certain height.

', Astill further objectof the invention is to provide a machinel `for driving fence "pOSts of the above character which is durable and eficientin'operation, one that is simple,y and easy tomanufacture, and one thatcan be placed upon the market at a reasonable price. j

With theseand other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, 'arrangement andfformation'of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompany- Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJuly 15, 1919.

Application led August 10, 1917. j Serial No. 185,514.

ing drawings, forming a part thereof, in whichj Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved fence post driving mechanism, showing the same mounted on a vehicle, j

Fig. 2 is atop plan'view of the improved fence post driving mechanism showing the `rear portion of the supporting vehicle,

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the improved driving mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, taken through the improved device,

Fig.4 5 is a horizontal section taken "throughfthe improved fence post driving dicates the improved fence post driving mechanism, which is adapted to be mounted upon an ordinary or any preferred type of vehicle 2.k n

Y The vehicle 2 includes a front wheel 3, the rear wheels 4, front and rear axles 5, the rear bolster 6, the front lower bolster 7, the upper front bolster 8 which is swivelly connected to the lower bolster by the ordinary king `bolt 9, the front hound 10, rear hound lO, coupling pole 10b, the connecting tongue 11, and the standards 12.

The improved fence post driving mechanism'l includes a supporting frame 13 which consists of a pair ofspaced diverging bars 14 and 15 respectively, which extend longitudinally of the vehicle body and have their forward ends rigidly secured to the upper front bolster 8.' The bars 14 and 15 extend slightly beyond the rear bolster 6, upon which they are slidably mounted' and have their rear ends rigidly connected to a relatively large substantially rectangular supporting plate 16. Suitable angle irons 17 connect the plate with the bars and firmly braces the same against all strain. A U- shaped frame 18 has its bight portion 19, swivelly connected to the supporting plate 16 by means of a. bolt 20, which extends through registering apertures formed in the central portion of the bight portion 19 and the supporting plate 16. A suitable washer 21 spaces the bight portion from the plate 16. The ends of the plate 16 are rounded and one end of the same has connected there to an arcuate plate 22, which has a plurality of apertures formed therein which are adapted to receive a pin 23 loosely carried by the angle lever 24, which is carried bythe frame 18 and has an operating handle 25. The lever has an aperture, which is adapted to register with any one of the apertures formed in the arcuate plate 22, and the pin 23 is adapted to fit in the registering apertures to hold the frame 18 in the desired position in relation to the vehicle body. The U-shaped member 18 consists of the bight portion 19and the spaced parallel legs 26 which pivotally supports the inner frame 27. The inner frame 27 includes the lower spaced parallel bars 28, which have connected thereto adjacent the ends thereof, upwardly inclined supporting standards 29 which converge toward the upper portion thereof and they have rigidly secured thereto at the upper portion thereof, the elongated substantially rectangular guide housing 30 which is open at both ends. This guide housing 30 receives a reciprocably mounted weight 31, which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The spaced parallel bars 28 are pivotally secured to the legs 26 of the Ushaped frame 18 by means of bolts, 32 which extend through registering apertures formed in the central portion of the bars 28 and the legs 26. The bolts 32 have suitable nuts 33 threaded on their ends which hold the bolts in correct position. The free end of one leg 26 of the U-shaped frame 18 is rounded and receives an arcuate plate 34, which is pro vided with a plurality of apertures and one of the bars 28 carries an outstanding lever 35 which is bent intermediate its ends to provide the outwardly extending ear 36, which is suitably apertured and this aperture is adapted to register with any one of the apertures formed in the arcuate plate 34. A pin 37 is loosely carried by the operating lever 35 and this pin is adapted to be received in the registering apertures and holds the inner frame 27 in any desired angle in relation to the U-shaped frame 18. The operating lever 35 is provided with a handle 36 by means of which the inner frame is adjusted. Y j

The spaced supporting bars 14 land 15 extend longitudinally of the vehicle 2 and are secured adjacent their rear ends to a pair of n31. Vcured as at 50 to a grooved pulley wheel 51 spaced guide bars 37', which straddle the rear bolster 6 of the vehicle, and the bolster 6 has an inwardly extending ear 38 which pivotally receives the inner end of an operating lever 39, which is pivotally secured to the outermost guide bar 37. The outermost guide strip 37 has an upwardly extending pin 40 secured thereto adjacent one end thereof, Vwhich extends through a slot 41 formed in the operating lever `39 intermediate the ends thereof. By moving the operating lever the supporting bars 14 and 15 can be moved laterally of the vehicle body, and thus position the post driving mechanism 1 in any desired position in relation to the vehicle body.

A plate 42 is rigidly secured to the upper surface of the guide housing 30 Aand to the upper surface of the converging standards 29.V Suitable braces 43 extend from the forward edge of the plate to the standards 29 and serve to support this plate. A pulley housing 44, inclosing a suitable rotatably mounted pulley 45, is rigidly secured Von the upper portion of the plate 42 and a suitable rope 46 is trained around the pulley and extends through an aperture 47 formed 'in the plate 42, into the guide housing 30 and is connected to a loop 48 carried by the weight The opposite end of the rope 46 is sewhich is rotatably mounted on a sleeve 52. The sleeve 52 has formed on ,its inner` end a substantially flat circular plate 53 through which the bolt 32 extends and rigidly holds the sleeve 52 in position. The sleeve 52 has ,i

an outwardly extending reduced extension 54 formed thereon, which rotatably receives the hand crank 55. The pulley wheel 51 has a collar 56 rigidly mounted therein whichhas a clutch face 57, which corresponds with the clutch face -58`formed 0n the crank 55. A spring 59 extends around the extension 54 and bears against the crank 55 and a washer 60, which is removably supported on the outer end of the extensionV 5-i-andthis coil spring normally holds the clutch face of the crank in engagement with the clutch face of the collar 56 carriedby the pulley 51; The sleeve 52 has an outwardly extending inclined lug 61, which is adapted to be engaged by a corresponding inclined lugr62 by the crank 55 and when the crank has been turned substantially one revolution the lugs 61 and 62 will engage each other and the lug 6l will force the clutch face 58 of the crank 55 out of engagement with the clutch` face formed on the collar 56 carried bythe pulley 51 and allows the weight to slide downthe guide housing. Thus by turning` the crank,

the same will rotate the pulley until substantlally one revolution has been made, when the lugs will4 force the crank out of engagement with the collar and allow the -pulley to Y ride free on the sleeve 52 and thus allow the weight to descend. VThis operation can be repeated as much as required to drive the post (not shown) in the ground. A stop 63 is carried by the inner surface of the pulley 51 adjacent the periphery thereof and is adapted to engage a stationary stop 64 carried by one of the legs 26 of the U-shaped frame. The stationary stop 641 limits the movement of the pulley 51 when the weight 31 slides down the guide housing. The lower end of the guide housing 30 is cut away, so as to provide means for entering the guide housing and the same is closed by Va'hinged door 65. The door is secured to the V housing' by suitable hinges 66 and is closed by a pivoted latch 67. This construction of the guide housing forms means whereby the upper end of the post can be inserted in the guide housing and the door closed, which will hold the post A(not shown) in position until the weight 31 has driven the same into the ground.

By the construction described above, it can be seen that an improved fence post driver has been formed, in which the post drivingmechanism proper can be adjusted laterally of the vehicle and also positioned and held in a vertical plane, no matter what angle the vehicle body may be lying.

While the above device has been shown and described as especially adapted for driving fence' posts, it is to be understood that the machine can be used to the best, of advantage for driving well pipe casings, piles, and other articles of a similar type.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is

the most eiiieient and practical; yet realizing the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacriiicing any of the advantages of my invention as set forth.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a supporting vehicle, of a U-shaped frame, means pivotally securing the bight portion of the frame to the vehicle, a second frame pivotally carried by the U-shaped frame, means for adjust-ably holding the frames in relation to each other and to the vehicle body, a guide carried by the last mentioned frame, a weight reciprocally mounted in the guide, and means for operating the weight.

2. A device of the character described, the combination with a supporting vehicle includin a rear bolster, of a frame slidable on the bo ster, a Ul-shaped fra-me pivotally secured to the first mentioned frame, a guide carried by the U-shaped frame, a weight mounted in the guide, means for operating the weight, and an operating lever pivotally secured to the bolster and operatively connected to the sliding frame, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM It. BAKKER.

Witnesses:

J. A. CHASE, WILEY THORNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, Vby addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

